Check what you know
Did you know?
Best practice tips
Check what you know
Did you know?
- Seat belts are simple to put on and save lives.
- The fixed penalty for not wearing a seat belt is £100 per person. If the case goes to court a fine of up to £500 can be imposed.
- Drivers and passengers who fail to wear seat belts in the front and back of vehicles are breaking the law.
- In a collision you’re twice as likely to die if you are not wearing a seat belt.
Young men are more likely to be inconsistent wearers of seatbelts.
Reasons people don’t wear a seat belt vary from simply forgetting, to thinking of them as inconvenient or dangerous. Driving in urban areas with relatively low speed limits can give a false sense of security – you must still wear a seat belt.
On average more than a fifth of car occupants killed in road collisions in Britain are not wearing a seat belt.
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where you can be issued with points as well as a fine for failing to wear a seat belt.
Best practice tips
Make sure there are enough three-point seat belts for everyone travelling in the vehicle, especially when using hired vehicles.
Before setting off, make it a habit to check that everyone in the vehicle is belted up, both in front and rear seats. The driver of the vehicle is responsible for making sure that all passengers are wearing a seat belt.
Before setting off, make it a habit to check everyone has their headrest properly adjusted. They can protect someone’s neck from serious injury in the event of a collision.
Not every driver needs to wear a seatbelt.
Should a doctor say a seat belt does not need to be worn for a medical reason, they will issue a ‘Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing’. This must be kept in the vehicle and shown to the police if stopped. Visit www.gov.uk for details on exemptions to wearing seatbelts.
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